Delaware/DC/Maryland's Broadcasters

Serving Every Local Community

Scripps-owned ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore partnered with House of Ruth Maryland to encourage Baltimore residents to donate money and other items to the women and children who found shelter at the House of Ruth Maryland. WMAR-TV matched all monetary donations made December 1-20 and devoted the entire day of broadcasts on December 20 to promoting the “Fill the House” campaign. Additionally, WMAR-TV presented the House of Ruth Maryland with 595 backpacks filled with teddy bears and books.

NAB’s Senior Manager of Public Service Suzie Raven recently traveled to Puerto Rico to help distribute 10,000 battery-operated radios to people in the hurricane-ravaged island and the Virgin Islands. Cellphone connections and Internet service are non-existent in many parts of Puerto Rico. Broadcast radio continues to connect people to critical information, weeks after Maria made landfall.

Donations from NAB, the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations (NASBA) and multiple U.S. radio companies covered the cost of the project. Logistical support was provided by Pat Roberts, head of the Florida Association of Broadcasters, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). More about the trip can be found in here.

Cumulus Media’s WRQX-FM and WMAL-AM/FM Washington, D.C. and Inova Blood Donor Services hosted a “Vegas Victims’ Blood Drive” on October 11. “Distance doesn’t lessen the impact of what happened in Las Vegas,” said Program Director Rob Roberts. “This is our chance to help someone and it costs nothing but a little time. We’re proud to do our part.”

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore raised $484,000 in a telethon, held August 28-31, to raise money for American Red Cross relief efforts. “The results of our telethon have been overwhelming. WBAL-TV has been pleased to offer our viewers an outlet to help in the relief efforts aimed at Texas and the Gulf Coast,” said WBAL President and General Manager Dan Joerres

Fox-owned WTTG-TV reporter Washington, D.C Lindsay Watts and photojournalist Van Applegate broke a story on June 17, 2017 about grade inflation in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The station investigated concerns voiced by school board members and local officials, including Delegate Jay Walker, chair of the Prince George’s County Delegation. WTTG-TV uncovered claims that high school teachers and counselors were asked to change grades to boost the graduation rate, leading to record highs. Following WTTG’s investigative reports, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan called for the Maryland State Board of Education to conduct a “complete, thorough, and exhaustive investigation” into allegations of fraud and corruption in Prince George’s County Schools.

Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, D.C., investigated a potential link between textured breast implants and a rare form of lymphoma. Headed by WJLA’s Kimberly Suiters, the investigation was born from a previous story where Suiters discovered that women with breast implants had higher suicide rates than women who did not.

In 2016, the World Health Organization classified breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) as a new type of cancer. However, Suiters reported the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not explicitly stated the implants cause lymphoma, even though the organization warned of an association in 2011 and 2016.

The station submitted a FOIA request to the FDA and discovered 441 related cases and at least 12 confirmed deaths.

The investigation featured Raylene Hollrah, a breast cancer survivor who had received the implants during reconstructive surgery. “I did everything to keep cancer away,” said Hollrah. “Yet I put a device in my body that caused cancer.”

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore aired “State of Addiction” on April 26. The special report focused on Maryland’s critical heroin and opioid crisis and featured Governor Larry Hogan. A phone line staffed by addiction experts ran for two hours following the broadcast.

More than a dozen mid-Atlantic TV stations will air the hour-long “Breaking Heroin’s Grip: Road to Recovery a Maryland Public Television” on February 11 in prime time. A 40-minute documentary featuring three Maryland opioid users and their path to recovery will be followed by a live 20-minute broadcast from a phone bank staffed by crisis counselors. It will be streamed at breakingheroin.com . Maryland Public Television produced the program in partnership with Maryland state health departments.

The Radio Television Digital News Foundation (RTDNF) announced the recipients of its 2017 First Amendment Awards. "At a time when freedom of the press is facing unprecedented challenges, our honorees stand up for values that are critically important to democracy," said RTDNF chair Kathy Walker.

Bill Whitaker of CBS News won the Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award. The 30-year veteran has covered the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney in 2008, George W. Bush in 2000 and Michael Dukakis in 1988, the funeral of Nelson Mandela, the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the pro-democracy uprising in Tiananmen Square.

Steve Jones, Vice President and General Manager of ABC News Radio, won the First Amendment Service Award. Under Jones’ leadership, ABC News Radio has received some of the highest honors in broadcasting including more than a dozen Edward R. Murrow Awards and 10 International Radio Festival Awards. Jones joined ABC News Radio in 1986 and has covered the Iran-Contra affair and the first Gulf War.

Stanley S. Hubbard, President and Chairman of Hubbard Broadcasting, won the First Amendment Leadership Award. Hubbard oversaw the building of the first successful UHF television station in a VHF market, created the world’s first satellite news gathering organization and established United States Satellite Broadcasting. He is an inductee in the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and NAB Distinguished Service Award recipient.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore President and General Manager Dan Joerres produced an editorial honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jeff Pitts, founding father of the Baltimore Westsiders. The programs aired January 16, MLK Day. Founded in 1962, The Westsiders are the first and oldest community marching band and have provided thousands of youth with a structured, safe environment and the opportunity to travel.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore recently hosted several community initiatives. WBAL is partnering with the Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) on the 2017 Baltimore County Public Library Reading Challenge. The challenge includes a different topic each month, including Black History Month and books that were once banned. Participants can post on social media with the hashtag #Bwellread for the chance to win gift cards. "This is an exciting partnership for us, and we are confident that the added exposure will help us to engage more readers than ever," said BCPL Director Paula Miller.

In addition, WBAL partnered with Gilmor Elementary School for their "Christmas Extravaganza" and collected more than 100 coats to be distributed to men, women and children in need through the local non-profit A Mother’s Cry.

Scripps TV’s ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore partnered with area businesses for the 18th annual “It’s Kindertime Toy Drive.” The drive has helped distribute more than 800,000 toys during its long history, and generated countless donations to area organizations.

Fox-owned WTTG-TV Washington, D.C. and Make-A-Wish granted a wish to 5-year-old cancer patient Kaheem by having the Superhero Council ask for his help in saving D.C. on December 16. Kaheem spent the day riding in cop cars and fire trucks pursuing his dream of saving people and being a superhero. Station personalities and fellow superheroes cheered him on at all five stops during the all-day adventure, which included WTTG’s studios, Capitol Hill and the Newseum.

Cumulus’ WMAL-AM Washington, D.C. raised a record $491,000 in its 13th annual radiothon, held December 2 – 3 to benefit the Fisher House Foundation. The Fisher House Foundation provides homes away from home for the families of injured servicemen and women while their partners are undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. “I remain in awe of WMAL listeners,” said WMAL Program Director and VP of News Talk for Cumulus. “They have generously donated some $5.4 million over the last 13 years in support of this wonderful organization and its mission.”

Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore News Investigative Reporter Brian Kuebler talked with Baltimore City Police Sergeant Alicia White in the first televised interview of any of the six officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray. The interview aired November 17 at 11:00 p.m. followed by additional reports on-air and online. Sgt. White talked about the charges and her feelings toward Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, whom White is suing for defamation and invasion of privacy. “This interview is an important element of how we as a station have worked to share all voices of our community in this polarizing case,” said News Director Kelly Groft.

Hearst’s WBAL-AM Baltimore collected 816 coats for local kids during the “Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Coat Drive,” held in partnership with Burlington Coat Factory on November 15. "If I don’t have a coat, I’m going to be very cold, and if I do, I’m going to be very happy, because I won’t be cold and I’ll stay warm for the whole winter," said nine-year-old Tristan Jenkins.

Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore’s Education Reporter Tim Tooten interviewed area students about their participation in the “Every Kid Votes” initiative. “Every Kid Votes” encourages political discourse in public elementary schools, culminating in students making a selection for president. Watch the video here and examine the nationwide results.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore Investigative Team aired a report on November 1 on a new implant that fights opioid addiction. The report is part of WBAL’s commitment to educate viewers on the prescription drug abuse crisis.

In addition, WBAL education reporter Dr. Tim Tooten interviewed students at a local elementary school as they participated in a mock election for the “Every Kid Votes” campaign. Watch video.

Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, DC investigated the recall of 70 million Takata airbags that could malfunction and send deadly shrapnel into drivers and passengers. Two years into the recall, Senior Investigative Reporter Lisa Fletcher uncovered critical new information from former Takata employees that raised questions about the safety of the replacement airbags and whether a recall of the recall is needed. View the story.

Hearst’s WBAL-AM, WIYY-FM and NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore provided viewers and listeners with crucial information as deadly flooding hit Ellicott City, MD on July 30. The flood killed two people and destroyed numerous residences and businesses. In the weeks following the storm, Hearst held several fundraisers. Hearst also partnered with the Baltimore Ravens on an “I Love EC” t-shirt to support Ellicott City. The stations sold out of their 700-shirt supply during the first fundraiser. Ravens players wore the shirts at an open practice and made 50 autographed shirts available for a raffle. As of August 16, Hearst sold over 3,600 t-shirts and raised $36,720.

TEGNA’S CBS affiliate WUSA Washington, D.C. Reporter Andrea McCarren and Photojournalist Dave Satchell helped find a missing baby after an Amber Alert was issued for 6-week-old Liz Khatun on July 13. Fairfax County Police said Liz’s mother Flora Khatun fled a family services office in Annandale, Virginia after being informed Child Protective Services would take her daughter. After speaking to several of Khatun’s neighbors, McCarren and Satchel met one person said he thought he knew where Khatun was with her baby. The man was afraid of going to police himself, so McCarren made the call to authorities before she and Satchell drove to the address. Once they arrived, they saw the van and the tags matched. McCarren and Satchell watched as agents emerged from an apartment with the missing baby. "We’ve never had an experience like this," McCarren said.

Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR Baltimore partnered with local businesses and contractors to renovate the local Children’s Home in Catonsville, MD. The Children’s Home is a non-profit Baltimore area foster home for children ages 13-21 who experienced abuse, neglect and abandonment. The Children’s Home underwent a physical makeover thanks to the program “Built Upon A Dream,” and volunteers from the Maryland community. The Children’s Home has received just under $500,000 in goods, services, and donations through “Built Upon A Dream” which airs on WMAR, the Baltimore affiliate of The E.W. Scripps Company. Based on ABC Network’s popular, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Built Upon a Dream” offers local non-profit organizations a chance to greatly improve their facilities. The program hopes to capture some of the spirit and good work of ABC’s Extreme Makeover program and complete renovation projects for organizations in need in the Maryland region.

On July 28 sponsors and volunteers from the “Built Upon a Dream” team joined The Children’s Home residents as they unveiled their new facility. The renovations will enable The Children’s Home to better serve the children, families, and local community. An hour-long TV special telling the story of The Children’s Home Dream Build aired on WMAR August 4.

Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, D.C. shared with TVNewsCheck its emotional tribute expressing support for the victims and their families affected by the Orlando massacre. WJLA used the voices of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington spontaneously singing “We Shall Overcome” in front of the White House on June 12. On June 13, WJLA extended a 5’x20’ banner in the middle of D.C.’s historic DuPont Circle, asking viewers and passersby to sign messages of love and hope.

NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington, D.C. helped local resident Ricardo Torres fight a $189,000 water bill in late May. Torres’ utility company threatened to turn off his water if he didn’t pay his April bill, which included $180,918.68, plus $9,000 in late fees for 1,500 square feet. Within hours of reporter Susan Hogan contacting the utility company, they admitted it was a meter reader error and dropped the bill.

Fox-owned WTTG Washington will debut on July 18 a new weeknight newscast primarily dedicated to the presidential election. “This election is unlike any we have ever seen. It deserves unconventional and original political reporting,” said Vice President and General Manager Paul McGonagle. WTTG will broadcast live from the Republican and Democratic national conventions and offer interviews with local and national newsmakers. Although it will focus on the 2016 presidential election, WTTG will also include the day’s top stories. With this expansion, WTTG will produce 57 hours of local news each week.

Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, D.C. aired a report on May 19 showing the hacking vulnerability of hospital equipment such as MRI machines, CT scans, infant incubators and drug infusion pumps. WJLA examined why manufacturers do little to correct the issue, despite FDA advisories. Cybersecurity expert Billy Rios has a sophisticated x-ray machine that is typically used during surgery to maneuver around a sedated patient. He uses it to determine how easily a criminal could install malware or control the machine remotely via Wi-Fi, allowing them to debilitate it or deliver fatal doses of radiation.

Sinclair’s ABC Affiliate WJLA-TV, Washington, D.C., examined the potential link between crumb rubber being used on Fairfax County school athletic fields and cancer. When WJLA investigative reporter Joce Sterman approached school leaders to inquire about why the multi-million project moved forward before key health questions were answered, school representatives refused to speak with her. WJLA has since obtained many of the emails between school district staff and others, some of which raised health and safety concerns and the potential need for a Fairfax County Health Department study.

Scripps TV Station Group’s ABC affiliate WMAR Baltimore aired “ABC2 March for the Animals Special,” a 30-minute broadcast that promoted the Maryland SPCA’s “March for the Animals” walk on April 21. The special focused on the work the Maryland SPCA does for animals in need across the Baltimore area. “Our pets are our best friends, but there are so many pets that still need a loving home,” said WMAR News Director Kelly Groft. “It’s an honor to highlight the work of the Maryland SPCA and their volunteers.”

Hearst’s WBAL-AM and NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore simulcasted an hour-long debate on April 12 between six Democratic mayoral candidates. The debate was also streamed live. "WBAL-TV is committed to making sure our viewers are able to make an informed decision at the polls during this important election year," said General Manager Dan Joerres

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore aired a one-hour special, “Baltimore Rising,” on April 27, to mark the one-year anniversary of the day that protesters demonstrating the death of Freddie Gray turned violent. The program explored how far the city has come over the past year and examine where Baltimore is going.

Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore broadcast "Community in Crisis: Violence Against Women," a 30-minute special about sexual assault and sexual assault prevention. The WMAR original special, which aired and live streamed April 14, also addresses how Maryland’s first responders, hospitals and schools are fighting the problem. "Once again we’ve built a show that is designed to start a conversation at home," said News Director Kelly Groft. "The show is designed to educate, provide resources and be a starting point for meaningful dinner table conversations." Earlier this year, WMAR’s "Community in Crisis: Chasing the High" reported on Maryland’s growing heroin epidemic.

CBS-owned WJZ-TV Baltimore partnered with The Baltimore Sun and the University of Baltimore on several debates. Baltimore’s mayoral candidates debated on March 22 and 23. The Republican candidates for U.S. Senate faced off on March 23, with the Democratic debate occurring March 25. Reps. Donna F. Edwards and Chris Van Hollen, Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, also participated in a debate that aired April 5 on the Larry Young Morning show on Radio One’s WOLB-AM Baltimore.

Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore aired and live-streamed an hour-long special, “Community in Crisis: Chasing The High," on February 25 to highlight the heroin epidemic in Maryland. “My hope is that moms and dads will sit down with their families to watch this, and then start a conversation about the dangers, of not only heroin, but all drugs,” said News Director Kelly Groft.

PMCM TV’s Me-TV affiliates WJLP Middletown Township, N.J. and KJWP Wilmington, DE offered the Republican and Democrat presidential contenders an hour of primetime in the two weeks leading up to the primaries. Both stations will air the programs regardless of other candidates’ participation at 8 p.m. from April 6 – 15, leading up to the New York primary, and on April 24 before Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut contests. “As longtime broadcasters, we take our public service commitment seriously,” said PMCM President and CEO Robert McAllan.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore helped the Maryland Special Olympics raise $2 million in the "Polar Bear Plunge" with a three-day phone bank before the January 30 event. Anchor Jennifer Franciotti was once again a "Super Plunger" who raised at least $10,000 and jumped into the Chesapeake Bay 24 times in 24 hours. The 6,000 participants also included General Manager Dan Joerres and reporter Omar Jimenez. The money supports training and competition for 169 Special Olympics athletes in Maryland. Watch video.

Nexstar’s NBC affiliate WHAG-TV Hagerstown, MD announced a $1 million expansion of its local news, sports, weather and community programming. WHAG will add field offices, hire a dozen news personnel, develop new on-air graphics and purchase new weather technology and traffic equipment. On July 1, WHAG will add 20 hours of local news each week, bringing the total to more than 50 hours. The investment "highlights the company’s organization-wide commitment to broadcasting excellence and enhanced service to local communities," Nexstar said in a press release. Watch video.

Tribune Broadcasting’s CW affiliate WDCW Washington, D.C. will launch an additional half-hour local news program each weeknight, beginning April 18. The half-hour newscast will include coverage of the local, national and international news of the day, plus local weather and sports. “Tribune Media has a long and deep-rooted history of being at the forefront of excellence in broadcast news coverage,” said Vince Giannini, Senior Vice President and General Manager of WDCW-TV.

CBS Radio’s WWMX-FM Baltimore raised a record $1.1 million for Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in its 27th annual radiothon, held February 18. A station representative thanked listeners for helping the station in "impacting the lives of children and their families in our community."

Hubbard Radio Group’s WTOP-FM booked hotel rooms for staff to ensure that the all-news station could provide important public safety, weather and traffic information. News Director Julia Ziegler said, "We see ourselves as a lifeline in emergency situations like this historic snowstorm... We become a megaphone for public officials to share life-saving information on every platform we operate: radio, web and social media. In addition, we make ourselves available to our audience via email and phone to answer people’s most important questions and sometimes just be an ear to listen. We take this responsibility seriously."

"It is absolutely ALL HANDS ON DECK here and the round the clock coverage has been underway online all week! I personally have brought a cot to the weather center just in case I don’t care to leave, but we have hotel rooms ready just up the street!" said Fox-owned WTTG Weather Anchor Susan Palka.

Baltimore Sun Reporter David Zurawik praised broadcasters for their coverage of the blizzard. "What I did see was... a sense of public service... As it is every day, the role of the journalist is to give citizens reliable, vetted, accurate information that they can use to make good decisions about their lives. In a weather event like this, it can literally be life and death."

As Baltimore began to dig out from Winter Storm Jonas, Zurawik added, "[Broacasters were] providing a sense of shared experience and even community for some housebound viewers not particularly wired into social media. And I suspect some of those were among the residents who felt most threatened by this storm."

Fox-owned WTTG-TV Washington, D.C.’s "Season of Wishes" highlighted local kids in the Make-A-Wish program. Eden, a five-year-old cancer survivor, took a limo ride to the studio on December 15, where she and her sister were dressed like princesses and her brother like a prince. Then, the limo took them to the Washington Ballet, the White House, the Hyatt Regency for a fairytale lunch, and the Smithsonian Castle to meet Rapunzel. WTTG broadcast the culmination of Eden’s day live at 5 p.m. She walked down a red carpet to receive her ultimate wish: a ride on a unicorn. Watch video.

E.W. Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore collected 85,000 toys in the 17th annual "ABC2 It’s Kindertime Toy Drive," held November 26-December 21. In total, WMAR has helped distribute more than 800,000 toys to the children of fallen officers and firefighters. Photojournalist Pete O’Neal started the toy drive to thank the police officers and firefighters who worked to solve his mother’s murder. Learn more.

Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore’s "STEM Station" campaign culminated in the first statewide STEM Festival, held November 6-15. More than 100,000 students attended the event, which included labs, robotics and other activities revolving around STEM (science, technology, engineering, math.) The "STEM Station" campaign, launched Feb. 25 by meteorologist Ava Marie, featured weekly stories, 250 activities across Maryland and a website with information, events, photos and videos. Students could upload their own photos and video. A coalition of 32 agencies and non-profit organizations collaborated on the effort. (Watch video.)

WBAL-TV also provided 841 new coats to local kids through the 30th annual "Coats for Kids" drive. WBAL worked with 20 non-profit organizations to identify families and aired the coat distribution live from Burlington Coat Factory. For some kids, it was their first new coat.

Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, D.C., aired a segment on November 30 about a mother and her eight children living in a car. Investigative reporter Jennifer Donelan found Maria Herrera and the kids, who range in age from one-year-old twins to 15. After Herrera’s alleged abuser kicked them out of their apartment, five different organizations turned them away because of the family’s size. After the story aired, D.C.’s Department of Human Services placed them in temporary housing until something permanent is found. (Watch video.)

Delmarva Broadcasting’s "2015 Help Our Kids Radiothon" on September 9-10 raised $301,000 for the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Delaware. Participating stations included WDEL-FM Canton, N.J., WSTW-FM Wilmington, Del. and WXCY-FM Havre de Grace, Md. and four stations in Lewis, Del.: WXDE-FM, WAFL-FM, WNCL-FM and WYUS-AM. Click here to watch a recap video of the event posted by WDEL-FM.

During a particularly busy evening for Washington, DC area police, WTOP Director of Traffic and Weather Operations Jim Battagliese headed to the heart of the city to report on the subsequent traffic jams. Upon surveying the tie-ups, Battagliese began assisting the police with directing traffic. A letter of recommendation from the police states, “Without being asked, and with no personal gain, Mr. Battagliese sacrificed his time to support the mission of the U.S. Park Police in a time of need.”

Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore hosted Dr. Oz’s “The Good Life” presentation on August 29 at a local mall. The presentation provided information on how Americans can achieve long term positive health results. Dr. Oz acknowledged that it’s easy to eat fast food, ignore symptoms or self-medicate, but these actions are not best for the body. He also talked about healthy school lunches and snacks at a Back to School event. Click here to watch video of Dr. Oz rapping to promote healthy lifestyles.

Nearly 18,000 people gathered at Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park on July 25 to attend an eight-hour gospel concert put on by Radio One’s new Gospel station Praise 106.1 (W291BA/WLIF-HD2). Along with the music, by over a dozen artists, the event featured station personalities and local politicians, all pushing for peace in the streets of Baltimore. "I believe this event was a catalyst for change. When 18,000 people can gather peacefully for the purpose of prayer, praise, empowerment, and fun then I know Baltimore is on its way to healing," said Howard Mazer, Radio One Baltimore GM/VP.

Hearst Television’s WBAL-AM Baltimore’s "Kid’s Campaign" helped send 400 second, third and fourth grade kids to the local Super Kids Camp to help them escape the turmoil in Baltimore after recent riots. The six-week long Super Kids Camp provides transportation, hot breakfast and lunch, academics, sports, arts, swimming and weekly trips. WBAL raised money through a radio and TV campaign to provide scholarships to the 400 kids, reducing the cost for each family from $1,200 to $100. This will be a first-time camp experience for most of the children, as 80 percent of families in their neighborhood live below the poverty line and are eligible for free or reduced-cost school lunches. Click here to watch the video.

Fox Television’s owned-and-operated WTTG-TV Washington, D.C. helped make a wish come true for 97-year-old local woman Vivian Bailey. WTTG-TV aired this story in April about Bailey’s recent visit to the U.S. Capitol – the first field trip of her lifetime. Bailey, an Army veteran, grew up in the segregated South where only white kids went on field trips. For years, Bailey has raised money for field trips at the school where she volunteers in the D.C. suburb of Columbia, MD. Bailey told the children she’d like to take a trip to the White House. After the story aired, she received an invitation to visit the White House. Click here for photos and video of her visit, during which she met President Obama and Vice President Biden.

CBS Radio’s WIAD-FM Washington, D.C. partnered with Wreaths Across America to cover “Section 60” and other portions of the Arlington National Cemetery with a holiday wreath for each grave. “Section 60” is the final resting place for many Iraq and Afghanistan service members. When WIAD-FM announced that Wreaths Across America was more than 35,000 wreaths short of their goal, hundreds of citizens of D.C. helped fill the gap within three days. The wreaths are all handmade locally through the help of many volunteers.

Delmarva Broadcasting’s WDEL-AM Wilmington, Del., Feed a Friend Food Drive raised nearly $12,000. The event benefitted the Newark Area Welfare Committee, the Sunday Breakfast Mission, the Emanuel Dining Room, YWCA Delaware and the St. Paul’s Church Outreach Center. For each pledge of $11.50, a case of food was donated to those in need.

Cumulus Media’s WMAL-AM Washington, D.C. raised a record $350,000 to benefit Fisher House during its two-day radiothon. Over the last 11 years, WMAL-AM has raised more than $4.5 million to support the families of local veterans who are recovering from illness and injury. Fisher House has more than 50 group homes across America that provide a comfortable place for families to live while staying close to their recovering veterans.

Cumulus Media’s WMAL-AM Washington D.C. collected a record amount of $350,000 during the station’s annual Radiothon. The two-day event benefited the Fisher House. Over the past 11 years, WMAL listeners have donated more than $4.5 million for the charity. Fisher House supports wounded warriors and their families. There are more than 50 locations across the country that provide these heroes’ families with housing as their loved ones recover.

Scripps Television’s ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore’s "In Focus" news program, which provides in-depth reporting and investigations, aired multiple reports highlighting veterans’ health care issues. As of last April, Baltimore’s VA Maryland Health Care System ranked in the top five longest average wait times for veterans new to the system who tried to get a primary care appointment. WMAR-TV spent six months collecting stories from local veterans and their families. During that period, the VA Chief of Staff addressed the issue twice, stating on Oct. 15 that 13 new doctors were hired to reduce wait times.

Seventy iHeartMedia radio stations broadcast The Concert for Valor, held on Veterans Day at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. More than 100,000 people attended the free concert to honor the courage and sacrifice of veterans and their families. Performers included Jack Black, The Black Keys, Bryan Cranston, Eminem, Jamie Foxx, Dave Grohl, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J., George Lopez, Metallica, John Oliver, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen and Carrie Underwood.

CBS-owned WJZ-TV Baltimore recently announced it will partner with The Baltimore Sun to co-host a gubernatorial debate for Maryland candidates Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and Larry Hogan on October 7. WJZ-TV will host the hour-long event in their Baltimore studio in the morning, and the taped debate will broadcast on WJZ-TV that night at 7 p.m.

Gannett-owned WUSA-TV Washington recently launched the "Bring Them Home" project, a multiplatform initiative that aims to significantly raise awareness about missing local children. During Thursday newscasts, WUSA-TV airs photos and information about missing kids and provides the number to contact local police. Viewers are encouraged to share the information on social media or retweet WUSA-TV’s related posts. The project was developed after an eight-year-old local girl, Relisha Rudd, went missing from a homeless shelter earlier this year.

Scripps’ ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore recently announced the station has launched a new, original news program, "ABC2 In Focus," during its 6 p.m. newscast. The program features original, in-depth community reports from WMAR-TV’s team of investigative journalists and producers. "We’ve noticed a thirst in the market for in-depth stories," said WMAR-TV’s News Director Kelly Groft. "We’ll always cover the news of the day, it’s just now, at 6 p.m., we’ll slow down a bit, dig deeper and ask more questions." "In Focus," promoted as "The Next Level in Local News," intends to ask the hard questions, provide relentless follow-ups and target the issues too often ignored in the Baltimore area and beyond.

affiliate WMDT-TV Salisbury, Md., hosted a primary forum in late May for candidates running in the Maryland gubernatorial race. The one-hour event broadcast live in primetime and simultaneously streamed on the station’s mobile website. WMDT-TV extended an offer to all media outlets to participate. Following the debate, a link was provided for interested viewers to replay the event at their convenience. The station followed the event by running a "Get Out and Vote" PSA, which aired on WMDT-TV and its affiliated stations, leading up to the primary election on June 24.

Hearst Television’s WBAL-TV Baltimore partnered with Maryland Public Television to air the only televised gubernatorial debates in the market with all of the Republican and Democratic candidates. In addition to airing live on WBAL-TV, the Democratic debate streamed live online and broadcast twice on WBAL-TV’s multicast station. The Republican debate was also broadcast on the digital station. The League of Women Voters participated in the live studio audience for each debate. Questions to the candidates were provided by the debate moderators and individuals in the audience.

Hubbard Radio’s WTOP-FM Washington partnered with the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington for "Send a Kid to Camp," a one-day, on-air and online fundraising campaign to help local kids in need attend summer camp. The brief initiative raised more than $25,000, which will allow more than 100 kids to spend a week at YMCA summer camp this year. Click here to learn more about the effort.

NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington recently launched a year-long, multi-platform campaign called, "Changing Minds," which focuses on the issues of mental health. WRC’s Assistant News Director Matt Glassman explained the idea for the campaigndeveloped organically among reporters and staff in the newsroom. "Changing Minds" stories run throughout all WRC-TV newscasts and on every platform from on-air and online to social media and the station’s mobile app. Click here to view several of the the campaign’s PSAs that feature WRC-TV on-air talent.

Sinclair Broadcasting’s FOX affiliate WBFF-TV Baltimore hosted a debate for candidates running for Maryland Governor on May 27. The hour-long debate was moderated by WBFF-TV anchor Jennifer Gilbert and broadcast live at 8 p.m. The debate was simulcast on Allbritton’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington and streamed on WBFF-TV’s website. The gubernatorial candidates have also agreed to participate in a debate on Radio One’s WOLB-AM Baltimore on June 5, which will be moderated by the station’s host Larry Young.

Hubbard’s WTOP-FM Washington sponsored an online contest called "Click for a Cause," in which nonprofit organizations in the D.C. metro area could win money or PSA prizes. Listeners were invited to vote for a week in late April, and the winners received up to $10,000 dollars or $5,000 in PSA donations. WTOP-FM Director of Marketing Mary Kay Lemay told All Access, "’Click for a Cause’ provides an opportunity for all sizes of organizations to fundraise in a fun and easy way, and the social aspect allows for grassroots marketing and exposure. We at WTOP are happy to use our megaphone as a catalyst for helping some great causes." Click here to view the winners.

NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington hosted a debate between the Democratic candidates running for Maryland governor on May 7. The debate was held at the University of Maryland, College Park, and was moderated by "Meet the Press" host David Gregory. Nextstar Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate WHAG-TV Hagerstown, Md. also broadcast the debate. A second debate will be co-produced by Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore and Maryland Public Television. The live debate will air on June 2.

Gannett Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WUSA-TV Washington hosted an hour-long, live debate between the candidates running for mayor of the District of Columbia. WUSA-TV’s reporter Bruce Johnson moderated the debate, which included the incumbent Vincent Gray and three of his opponents, Muriel Bowser, Jack Evans and Tommy Wells. The live debate was held less than two weeks before the primary election on April 1. Click here to watch video of the full debate.

Howard University’s WHUR-FM Washington broadcast live from the Anthony Bowen YMCA to raise awareness during American Heart Month. The four-hour health fair was held in partnership with the American Heart Association and provided listeners with heart-healthy tips, nutritional facts and fun exercise demonstrations featuring several on-air hosts. Video from the event is available here.

CBS Radio’s WWMX-FM Baltimore hosted the 25th annual radiothon to benefit the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. WWMX-FM broadcast live for the two-day event and featured stories from patients, their families and doctors. The radiothon raised more than $886,000. Video from the event is available here.

CBS Radio Washington and Gannett-owned CBS affiliate WUSA-TV Washington partnered with Safeway and the Women Who Care Ministries to collect donations for victims of a local fire that killed a four-year-old boy and displaced 40 others. Click here to watch video from the fundraiser.

NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington hosted the 22nd annual NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo in early January. The largest attended consumer wellness exposition in the country brought more than 85,000 attendees to the Washington Convention Center to learn new ways to get in shape, eat healthy and maintain an active lifestyle. WRC-TV staff were on hand to promote the event and participate in demonstrations.

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Scripps-owned ABC affiliate WMAR-TV Baltimore hosted the 15th annual "ABC2 It’s Kindertime Toy Drive." Throughout December, WMAR-TV set up several toy donation sites throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area and encouraged viewers to drop off new toys for local families in need and for the children of fallen firefighters and police officers. Nearly 50,000 toys were collected and distributed to Maryland kids. Click here to watch video from the toy distribution on December 23.

NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington held a telethon on November 12 to raise money for typhoon relief in the Philippines. From 11 am to 7 p.m., viewers were encouraged to call in the station’s phone bank and pledge a donation to help the millions who need safe water, food and shelter in the Philippines. The telethon raised $25,000.

Gannett’s CBS affiliate WUSA-TV Washington teamed up with the USO of Metropolitan Washington to host the fourth annual Turkey for Troops campaign to raise money to thank military families during the holiday season. WUSA-TV held a phone bank during the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. newscasts on Veterans Day. Viewers were invited to call in with donations. In total, more than $100,000 was raised, enough money to buy 2,000 dinners for families of six.

The Howard University Radio Network’s WHUR-FM Washington broadcast the 36th annual Food2Feed radiothon to help feed families in the Washington, DC area. WHUR-FM broadcast live from the Old Post Office Pavilion for 12 hours, encouraging listeners to make monetary donations or drop off non-perishable items. The radiothon raised more than $101,000 and a tractor-trailer filled with canned food and other items. The Capital Area Food Bank and Shabach Ministries Inc. distributed the baskets of food to families in need.

Hearst’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV Baltimore held a Coats for Kids event to provide new coats to needy children. Twenty Baltimore nonprofits submitted the names of children in the region who needed coats to the station. As part of the broader WBAL Kid Campaign, WBAL-TV raised money from viewers and then negotiated with the local Burlington Coat Factory store to purchase the 840 coats. WBAL-TV’s staff filled their orders, and then hosted an event to give away the new coats to the children.

Gannett Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate WUSA-TV Washington, D.C., partnered with FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered) for its 20th "Buddy Check 9" breast cancer awareness program. WUSA-TV aired stories about local men and women who are at risk for the cancer and hosted an advanced film screening of Decoding Annie Parker, a true story about a woman who battled breast cancer, and her doctor, whose research lead to the discovery of the BRCA1 breast cancer gene. The sold-out screening netted $60,000 for FORCE.

NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington partnered with the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce to host a debate between Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and businessman Terry McAuliffe. The debate was moderated by NBC News’ National Political Director Chuck Todd and aired at 7 p.m. on September 25.

CBS Radio’s WPGC-FM Washington, D.C., stepped up in a big way when a record summer heat wave and a water main repair left many area residents in Prince George’s County in need of drinking water. WPGC-FM donated truckloads of bottled water to those in need. The station set up three distribution points and invited listeners to come and receive a free gallon of water. Senior citizens were served first, followed by the members of the general public. Photos from the event are available here.

CBS Radio-owned WWMX-FM Baltimore’s new morning show featuring Maria Dennis, Reagan Warfield and Jon Boesche raised $871,630 during the station’s annual radiothon to benefit the young patients and their families at Hopkins Children’s hospital. The 2013 total was $4,000 more than last year. WWMX-FM has hosted the annual radiothon for over two decades. During those years, the station has raised more than $15 million for Hopkins Children’s Hospital.

Hearst-owned WBAL-FM, WBAL-AM and WBAL-TV Baltimore, Md., recently joined forces to host the 15th Annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park. The event challenged participants to collect pledges from their families and friends for plunging into Sandy Point’s icy waters. The Plunge raised an estimated $3 million for Special Olympics Maryland. All event proceeds support intellectually challenged athletes who participate in the Special Olympics across the state.

Fox Television’s WTTG-TV Washington, D.C., held its 11th annual "Stuff-a-Truck" food drive in partnership with Giant Food and CBS Radio stations. WTTG-TV broadcast live from Giant Food locations around D.C. to encourage donations. In 2011,"Stuff-A-Truck" generated over 62,000 pounds of food and almost $128,000 in donations for the Capital Area Food Bank.

Fox Television-owned WTTG-TV Washington broadcast wall-to-wall hurricane coverage on Monday beginning at 4 a.m. and into Tuesday. Crews were stationed in several low lying areas including Annapolis and Alexandria, and throughout the Washington metropolitan area.

Scripps’ WMAR-TV Baltimore hosted its annual Kindertime Toy Drive for Maryland families and the children of fallen firefighters and police officers. The drive has helped distribute more than 400,000 toys during its long history. The station encouraged listeners to bring new, unwrapped toys to one of several donation locations. On December 20, a caravan of emergency vehicles picked up the toys and distributed them throughout the community.

Major broadcast networks’ election night coverage included multiplatform initiatives and elaborate presentations. NBC turned Rockefeller Center’s ice rink into a massive U.S. map with states turning red or blue as results returned. CBS utilized eight TV studios and three state-of-the-art control rooms to produce its coverage, including virtual reality models of the House and Senate. ABC’s broadcast from Times Square included a special edition of "World News with Diane Sawyer," panels of political analysts, and historical context from Barbara Walters, who has interviewed every President since Nixon. Fox Broadcasting Company’s live coverage included analysis, exit poll data and live reports from the candidate’s campaign headquarters and footage from battleground states. Univision highlighted important topics for Hispanic viewers and offered Tu Cámara for users to upload videos and photos from the polls to share online. ABC and Univision also used YouTube’s Elections Hub.

Salem Radio Network offered affiliates a live six-hour Election Night 2012 Special beginning at 6:00 pm. Dial Global’s syndicated NBC News Radio live broadcast from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. featured anchor Brian Williams and simulcast on NBC-TV. CBS Radio News and America’s Radio News Network began extensive live coverage at 7:00 pm and continued into the early morning. Fox News Radio’s coverage on three different channels, which included clean feeds of major speeches, aired between 6 p.m. and noon the following day. ABC News Radio’s election night live anchored coverage aired from 7 p.m. through 1 a.m. with six Election Coverage Status Reports each hour, ABC News "DecisionDesk" analysis, voter turnout from battleground states Florida and Ohio and reports on congressional, senatorial and gubernatorial races.

Gannett Broadcasting-owned WUSA-TV Washington, DC aired a live broadcast of a 30-minute debate between Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett and challenger John Delaney to reach voters in Maryland’s 6th District. The discussion covered controversial issues including gay marriage, the federal government’s role in improving the economy and an upcoming ballot question that would allow some illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at Maryland schools.

NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington provided local storm coverage from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Monday before airing the first half hour of Today. WRC-TV returned to local coverage at 7:30 a.m. and remained on air through the late evening. Several of WRC-TV’s reporters broadcast live from nearby Delaware beaches, including reporter Wendy Rieger. Click here to watch video from Rieger’s coverage.

Independently-owned WBOC-TV Salisbury, Maryland’s vice president and general manager, Craig Jahelka, told B&C that it was all hands on deck at his station when Sandy blew through the East Coast. Jahelka admitted even he manned the camera for a few hours during the storm. WBOC-TV partnered with Clear Channel Radio and Delmarva Public Radio to simulcast storm coverage on the radio. WBOC-TV, for the first time, provided continuous hurricane news on its smartphone app. Once the storm cleared, WBOC-TV also used the station’s helicopter to survey the damage. Details on road closures, Red Cross efforts and requests for volunteers can be found on the station’s special Sandy section of the website and on the smartphone app.

Hearst-owned WBAL-TV Baltimore provided live coverage of the storm from the streets of Ocean City, Maryland on Monday night. During the live coverage, WBAL-TV reporter Lowell Melser and photographer Mac Finney were nearly hit by a piece of metal swept up by the strong winds. Despite the traumatic experience, Melser continued reporting live, while his co-anchor in the WBAL-TV studio, Deb Weiner, used the incident to remind viewers that the storm was very volatile and could instantly create strong winds. The station had prepared reporters with cash in case ATMs stopped, booked hotel rooms with generators for news personnel and gave satellite truck operators ropes to tie down their dishes. "Everybody left home on Saturday prepared to be gone for five to seven days," WBAL’s Michele Butt told TVNewsCheck. "You don’t stop covering the storm just because the sun comes out."

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s Baltimore/Washington D.C. cluster was busy during Hurricane Sandy. As operating manager Meg Stevens told All Access, "All [the group’s] morning shows," including WITH-FM, WWDC-FM and WMZQ-FM, "started Monday morning setting the scene of what was about to happen and making sure listeners were prepared." The station’s coverage included interviews with NBC-owned WRC-TV Washington’s meteorologists, a dedicated Storm Watch webpage with preparation information and storm path coverage and Facebook and Twitter updates on stations’ pages." After the storm, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s radio stations helped to provide "clean-up and power restoration information, road closure and flooding information and other travel info."

Gannett’s WUSA-TV provided wall-to-wall storm coverage and served as a huge support for a local family after their power went off during the hurricane. A viewer in Clifton, VA, whose husband Steve has ALS, wrote to WUSA-TV to ask for help. The power had gone off, and Steve, who, relies on a ventilator to breathe, was at great risk with only limited generator power. WUSA-TV went to the viewer’s home and helped them contact the local power company. With WUSA-TV’s support, the power was quickly turned on. Click here to watch video of the event.

Allbritton’s WJLA-TV Washington utilized its joint news operation, NewsChannel 8, the regional cable news channel, to provide 24-hour coverage of Hurricane Sandy. On WJLA-TV, the station provided weather cut-ins every half hour, extended the midday news to an hour and aired a special afternoon newscast. Extensive storm coverage was also available on WJLA-TV’s website.

Hubbard’s WTOP-FM Washington was a key source of information before Sandy even came ashore. On Sunday before the storm, WTOP.com had over two million page views by 280,000 unique users looking for storm coverage. During the hurricane, on Monday, that number jumped to nearly three million page views from 335,000 unique users.

NAB Crystal Award finalists and NAB’s Public Service division joined Operation Interdependence for a packing party at NAB Show last month. The event was a great success, with numerous broadcasters, exhibitors and conference attendees assembling more than 500 civilian rations for service members stationed overseas. The Crystal Award finalists collected hundreds of t-shirts, candy, sports equipment, personalized cards of encouragement and other items for the packing party. Six service members based at nearby Nellis Air Force Base assisted in the packaging of individual rations. All participants were invited to sign a banner thanking America’s military men and women for their service to our country.

According to a nationally representative survey conducted January 5-8 by Project for Excellence in Journalism News Interest Index, 37 percent of respondents say there has been too much coverage of the 2012 presidential campaign by the national news media.

Republicans were following the campaign more closely than Democrats, with 40 percent saying they followed election news very closely, compared with 27 percent of Democrats and 25 percent of independents.

According to PEJ, 39 percent said the 2012 coverage was the right amount. It was also the story respondents were most interested in, with 27 percent saying they followed campaign news the most closely, followed by 19 percent interested in the economy. According to the survey, 30 percent said they hear mostly bad news on the economy, which is down dramatically from the 67 percent in August.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) joined nonprofit organizations MyGoodDeed and the HandsOn Network, Clear Channel Radio and a host of other media organizations to promote the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance, striving to create the single largest day of charitable service in U.S. history. NAB helped to distribute the campaign’s public service announcements (PSAs) to its member broadcasters, while Clear Channel and other stations donated an estimated $15 million worth of free airtime for the spots. The PSAs encouraged viewers and listeners to spend the September 11th anniversary volunteering, reflecting and giving back to their communities.

Brechner’s WMDT-TV Keeps Salisbury, Md., Residents Warm this Winter
Brechner-owned WMDT-TV Salisbury, Md., collected more than 750 winter coats during the stations’ "Keeping Delmarva Warm" coat drive between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. The station’s Account Executive Teri Monahan explained, "We used the power of our television medium and our website to spread the word of the coat drive. WMDT-TV ran a 30-second promo using our on-air morning news talent asking viewers to take their gently used coats to the local business drop-off sites. The response [was] heart-warming!"

WMDT-TV Informs Salisbury, Md., Students About Available Educational Scholarships

Brechner-owned WMDT-TV Salisbury, Md., recently joined the Delmarva Education Foundation (DEF) to launch a series of informational segments educating viewers about locally available scholarships and grants. Across Salisbury, numerous graduating students require financial support in order to attend college; however, many students and their parents are unaware of financial opportunities provided throughout their local community. Recognizing the need for broader awareness, WDMT-TV launched the series of announcements during 6 p.m. newscasts on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. All of the scholarships featured in the series appear on the DEF website, and the DEF staff is available to assist interested students with the process at no charge. Click here to watch a recent DEF announcement.

Each year during Black History Month, WBFF-TV in Baltimore, Md., gives students the opportunity to pay tribute to those fulfilling Martin Luther King’s dream. The "Champions of Courage Black History Month Essay Contest," now in its 22nd year, invites students in grades six through 12 to salute those making a difference in the world. Thousands of entries are received each year, from which 28 winners are selected. The station produces public service announcements featuring the winners reading their essays. A different tribute airs each day during the month; on its designated day, it runs a minimum of eight times. WBFF then hosts an awards ceremony for all the winning students, where schools of the top three finalists receive cash awards. In a letter of thanks to the station, Deborah Montgomery, principal of Corkran Middle School, wrote, "Your program is an outstanding example of education and community working together to create a better environment for our youth and their communities."

To make sure troops knew they were loved even if their loved ones were thousands of miles away, WHUR-FM in Washington, D.C., held a collection drive on Valentine’s Day. The station collected phone cards and postage stamps to send to service men and women stationed overseas, and encouraged its listeners to write letters to include in the shipment to let the troops know their community back home was thinking about them. The five-hour fundraiser, which was broadcast live from the National Postal Museum, brought in 1,300 stamps, 570 phone cards and 1,500 postcards. Leading up the event, the station ran more than 150 promotional spots. To make the day even more special, WHUR treated 10 service members who recently returned from their tours of duty to a night out on the town with their loved one, complete with a limousine, flowers, dinner, a concert and tickets to see a future Washington Wizards professional basketball game. WHUR was a National Association of Broadcasters’ Crystal Award Finalist in 2008.

Musicians, dignitaries, actors and citizens joined WMZQ-FM in Rockville, Md., for the American Freedom Festival. The fourth annual Veterans Day celebration honored our military while raising both awareness and funds for veterans’ organizations. The event, which was hosted by WMZQ Morning Show team Brian and Jenni, attracted 3,400 people. Proceeds went to the American Freedom Foundation, which has a goal of giving $1 million in support to veterans each year. The day of patriotic fun included concerts by country singers Martina McBride and Darryl Worley. The station jumpstarted enthusiasm before the festival with 200 minutes of promotional announcements and seven emails blasts to its database of 45,000 listeners. On-air interviews with McBride and retired Army Sgt. Maj. Jack Tilley, co-chair of the American Freedom Foundation, also helped spotlight the all-American event. "WMZQ has just been tremendous," said Tilley. "They have helped us educate people about the needs of veterans not only in the D.C. area but nationally. They are real patriots." With the station’s help, the event is expected to draw even larger crowds next year.

In the springtime, WBAL-TV and WBAL-AM in Baltimore, Md., partner with the Maryland Food Bank for its annual "Harvest for the Hungry" campaign, which collected more than 590,000 pounds of food for distribution throughout Baltimore and 23 surrounding counties last year. WBAL-TV has been involved in the effort for 27 years. For three weeks, the station runs a heavy public service announcement campaign and informational crawls throughout newscasts. Newscasts provide updates about the participation of schools and Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops. Actively engaging as many viewers and groups as the station can, WBAL also organizes its own events, such as its "Pack the Hummer" day where viewers donated enough items to fill up every last inch of space in the vehicle. WBAL also recruits businesses to compete with one another to see which can raise the most money. Station employees go hands-on during the station’s "Day of Caring," which provides each employee half of a work day to volunteer at the drive. Last year, WBAL employees boxed 50,000 pounds of donated food in a single day. "The contribution WBAL makes to our community and ‘Harvest for the Hungry’ is immeasurable," said Larry Adams Jr., founder of the "Harvest for the Hungry" campaign. "They just really come through."

WXCY-FM in Havre de Grace, Md., brings a little of Nashville to its viewers each year through its Christmas in the Country concert. Always a sold-out event, the station arranges for up-and-coming country recording artists to come in for a night of live music and fun, and donates all the proceeds to a local charity. The station starts promoting the event in November with on-air announcements, a Web site presence and email blasts. This past holiday season, Christmas in the Country brought $6,500 to Open Doors Career Center, an organization that helps empower women that have been out of the workforce to return through assistance with computer skills, clothing for interviews and support. The organization also has been WXCY’s "Non-Profit of the Month." Every month, a selected charity receives $3,000 in airtime, including the scheduled broadcast of 60-second announcements. WXCY’s Bob Bloom has donated his time as a board member for Open Doors for the past seven years. "Bob Bloom’s belief and advocacy of our mission, as well as the support that WXCY has given to our organization through Christmas in the Country, in-kind donations and public service announcements, has been pivotal in gaining the much needed support of our entire community," said Robyn Burke, executive director of Open Doors Career Center.

Radio listeners in the nation’s capitol have the opportunity to not only hear about the tough issues but to discuss them with the decision makers thanks to two programs produced by WTOP-FM in Washington, D.C. "The Politics Program," which airs weekly, has hosted the Maryland and Virginia governors, the D.C. mayor, the majority leader of the U.S. Senate and former Sen. John Edwards. The program mixes analysis with news to provide listeners with the most current insider’s view about the men, women and issues shaping our nation. The station’s "Ask the …" series connects listeners directly with local officials such as the police chief and mayor, supervisors from the county board of supervisors and the general manager of the Metro, the area’s local mass-transit system. If listeners miss a broadcast, both programs are available as Podcasts from the station’s Web site. "The Politics Program" and "Ask the …" are part of the 6,000 minutes of public affairs and local programming WTOP aired in 2007.

In response to several teens losing their lives in traffic accidents, WSTW-FM in Wilmington, Del., launched "SmartDrive," a student driver education reinforcement program, which is now in the majority of Delaware high schools. In addition to airing public service announcements (PSAs) featuring local students and safe driving tips each week, WSTW’s on-air personalities kick off the program at school assemblies. A multitude of prizes, from $4,000 post-secondary scholarships to having your name mixed into a song and played on the air during prom season, help engage students. The program has its own Web site, www.smartdrivede.org, where students and their parents complete monthly safe driving activities. Approximately 2,000 students participated in 2007. The mission of the program is "for a significant number of young drivers to make the right decisions every time they are behind the wheel so they will never put themselves, their passengers or their vehicles in harm’s way." Pete Booker, general manger of WSTW and founder of "Smart Drive," received the Governor’s Highway Safety Association Peter K. O’Roarke Special Achievement Award in recognition of his achievement in highway safety.